A (Millennial Reader) Writes: What can be done?

I heard you talk last night at the Metro Church in Colorado Springs and would just like to follow up on something. I have a heart for my generation. I believe that my wife and I have the potential to lead our peers, but over the past year I’ve realized something about my generation and even myself. We have several problems

1.) Full-fledged adulthood takes longer to reach. Adulthood is defined as 1.) financial independence 2.) marriage 3.) mortgage 4.) children 5.) gainful employment. It takes the average person until they are 30 years old to reach all these thresholds.

2.) Churches everywhere struggle with attendance from 18-30 years old. I believe there could be a correlation between the lack of activist agendas in conservative churches (which I have always been apart of). If the church could capitalize on the activist hearts of our 18-30 year olds our perception could change in the eyes of many millenials. There is a fundamental disagreement about what constitutes as true Christianity right now. The traditionalists focus on Paul’s epistles and love the rules he seems to present. Millenials focus on Jesus and the love he shared. Somehow this has turned into a battle between traditionalists and millenials. Traditionalists are leading churches while millenials put more trust in social justice organizations that aren’t affiliated with any religion. There has to be a reestablishment of trust.

3.) Evangelical has become a dirty word in many circles. My professors often bring up the problems with non-denominational churches, but I think that plays right into your theory of belief systems being more important than a way of life. The Early Christians were called a sect and Paul himself said he was a “follower of the Way”.

4.) you encouraged me to find my generation and get to working with them. I’ve always wanted to do this. How can it be done?

Thanks for this note, your insight, and the good conversation the other night via skype. You wrote:

If the church could capitalize on the activist hearts of our 18-30 year olds our perception could change in the eyes of many millennials.

I think you’re right. If we could see (through leadership of people like you) communities of spiritual activism coming together, focused on a way of life and dedicated to the planet, poverty, peace, and all people (no exceptions), I think some promising things could happen. This will be reposted over on my Facebook page, and I hope that millennials who read it will add their comments and suggestions. (Everybody else – just listen, OK?)

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ABOUT BRIAN

Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, and public theologian. A former college English teacher and pastor, he is a passionate advocate for "a new kind of Christianity" - just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good. He is an Auburn Senior Fellow, a contributor to We Stand With Love, and a leader in the Convergence Network, through which he is developing an innovative training/mentoring program for pastors and church planters.